Charles Townsend O’Neill was born in Queanbeyan, NSW, in 1876. He was the eighth of the ten children, eight boys and two girls, born to James O’Neill and his wife, Mary Ann, nee Affleck. He joined the New South Wales police force after leaving school and by 1899 was stationed in Broken Hill and was there when he volunteered for the Boer War. He was appointed to the 1st New South Wales Mounted Rifles, D Squadron, with the rank of Private and left for South Africa in early 1900. On his return he rejoined the police force and was stationed in Sydney where he married Eva Samwell in 1901. He subsequently lost his job in the police force and he and Eva moved to Melbourne. In 1914 Eva took a job as maid to a Mrs Edwick, claiming to be a single woman. Soon it became apparent that ‘misconduct’ was taking place between Eva and Mr Edwick, a wealthy grazier. In 1916 Mrs Edwick instituted proceedings for a dissolution of the marriage, but they were discontinued pursuant to a deed of separation. She had sacked Eva in 1915 but Mr Edwick had re-employed her and moved her to his country property. In 1922 Mrs Edwick began proceedings for judicial separation on the ground of misconduct and cruelty with the intent of preventing a marriage between her husband and Eva; but the solicitors then acting for her husband intimated that if she sought a dissolution of the marriage instead, her husband would be prepared to settle £10,000 upon her and the child. She accepted the proposal. Eva promptly began divorce proceedings against her husband, Charles Townsend O’Neill, on the grounds of desertion and obtained a decree nisi in 1923. However when the decree was about to become absolute Mrs Edwick intervened, citing Eva’s previous misconduct and the decree nisi was rescinded. Mr Edwick died in 1925 and left Eva £3,000. An illegitimate son, born before his marriage, got most of his large estate. Mrs Edwick contested the will on behalf of her ten year old daughter, citing as one of her grounds Eva’s undue influence over Mr Edwick. She later withdrew the caveat and probate was granted.
While all this was going on, Eva and Charles were still co-habiting. When he enlisted on 23 July 1915 Charles cited Eva as his next of kin and gave her address as the same as his own, 381 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne. This house was at the time a rooming house, next door to the old Christian Brothers’ College. It has now been demolished. Charles’ papers also tell us that he was 39 years and 2 months old; that his occupation was French Polisher; he was 5 ft 11¾ ins., 11 st 6 lbs.; and had a dark complexion, grey eyes and black hair.
He was appointed to 4th Light horse, 12th Reinforcement as a private and sent to Broadmeadows for training. He embarked from Melbourne on 23 November 1915 aboard HMAT Ceramic. A few days previously he had been promoted to sergeant. On 4 January 1916 he was admitted to hospital in Heliopolis with exotosis. This is the formation of a spur of new bone on the surface of an old bone due to a build-up of calcium. It can cause severe pain depending on where the growth is. In Charles case it was on his right femur (thigh bone). He was discharged after three days but was readmitted with the same complaint on 14 February 1916. He had had the problem for at least twenty years but recent injury to the area had incapacitated him. His doctors recommended that he have the exotosis surgically removed but he refused. He was sent home to Australia on 3 June 1916 and discharged medically unfit.
Very few details of Charles’ life after the war have emerged. On 25 July 1919 his name featured at the bottom of an advertisement for Colleano’s All Star Circus as ‘ad. rep.’ Also in 1919 in Toowoomba, Qld, a small booklet of eleven poems entitled Soldiers’ Poems was published under the name of Sergeant C T O’Neill. The styles of the poems vary and he may not have written them all. On 9 March 1922 The Brisbane Courier reported on a court case in which the defendant was charged with forging O’Neill’s signature. In the report it was stated that ‘during a period of about three years the defendant and the man 0'Neill had travelled the shows of Queensland and New South Wales selling small articles. About fourteen months ago there was a dissolution of partnership.’ The partner and defendant’s name was Janet Sharman. After this date details of O’Neill’s life disappear from the public record.
On 16 February 1929 he wrote to Base Records from West Wyalong, NSW, to request that his medals be sent to him. His letter was apparently not received because he wrote again on 28 July 1932, this time from Wangaratta, Victoria.
He died in July 1961 while living at the Linton War Veterans Home, Yass, NSW, and was buried in the Old Returned Soldiers portion of the Canberra Cemetery.